Interns and Last Keeper Shine a Light on History of Kinnaird Head Lighthouse

29 July 2009

Two museum interns are helping preserve the memories of the last lighthouse keeper at Kinnaird Head for future generations.

Graduates Victoria Thompson and Jennifer Bainbridge are being funded by Historic Scotland to work with Jim Oliver, who was made redundant in 1991, to identify hundreds of objects in the lighthouse and former keepers’ cottages at The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

The project was set up by Historic Scotland in partnership with the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, which shares the cliff-top site near Fraserburgh with Historic Scotland.

Virginia Mayes-Wright, museum director, who is administering the project, said: “The lighthouse and cottages are like a time capsule, preserved almost exactly as they were when the last of the keepers left.

“There are equipment, fixtures and fittings that date back for generations, and many of them have memories attached to them.
“So Victoria and Jennifer are working with Jim not just to record what the objects were, but the stories behind them.”

Collectively the objects tell the tale of a now-lost way of life – whether it’s through specialised engineering equipment needed to keep the light, or the pair of ice skates which once belonged to a keeper’s child.

Victoria said: “It’s is absolutely fascinating, it’s a chance to record and preserve the stories of people who played a vital role in our past – protecting the lives of mariners in the dangerous waters off Fraserburgh.

“It’s great having Jim to ask about the items and to hear his recollections of the lighthouse when it was still operating. This let’s us do so much more than learn what something was used for, but also find out what it meant in people’s lives.”

Historic Scotland cares for the lighthouse and cottages, but museum staff including Mr Oliver, run tours of the site.

Mr Oliver said: “Lighthouses are very important for navigation at sea. There were 96 manned lighthouses across Scotland and the Isle of Man run by the Northern Lighthouse Board.

“Through its artefacts, Kinnaird Head preserves the history of all those lighthouses and the work carried out by the men that manned them. We want to do all we can to make sure this story is available for visitors of today and long into the future.”

The internships are a co-operative venture which benefits both organisations and help Victoria and Jennifer build up vital experience to help them find permanent jobs.

Hugh Morrison, Historic Scotland collections registrar, said: “We are very pleased to fund this joint project which not only has mutual benefits for the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses and Historic Scotland, but also provides Jennifer and Victoria with practical museum experience.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to document this important collection and to record Jim Oliver’s valuable knowledge of the lighthouse, the objects and their uses.”

The museum is based at Kinnaird Head, near Fraserburgh, and runs the tours round the lighthouse and associated buildings, which are cared for by HS.

Historic Scotland has 345 historic properties and sites in its care. These include some of the leading tourism attractions in the country, including Edinburgh, Stirling, and Urquhart Castles, Fort George, Linlithgow Palace, the Border Abbeys, and Skara Brae. For further details visit: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places.

Historic Scotland’s Mission is to safeguard Scotland’s historic environment and to promote its understanding and enjoyment.

Historic Scotland is delighted to be supporting the 2009 Year of Homecoming with a series of initiatives including family trails, spectacular events and the creation of a Homecoming Pass for heritage attractions in association with other heritage organisations.

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